Itivuttaka — Thus It Was Said
112 short passages each beginning "Thus was it said by the Blessed One".
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ITIVUTTAKA — THUS IT WAS SAID
Background
The Itivuttaka (Thus It Was Said) is one of the fifteen books belonging to the Khuddaka Nikāya (Minor Collection) within the Sutta Piṭaka of the Pāli Tipiṭaka. The name "Itivuttaka" means "Thus it was said" or "The Dhamma as proclaimed by the Blessed One," reflecting the distinctive character of this collection: each passage opens with the phrase "Vuttañhetaṃ Bhagavatā" (Thus it was said by the Blessed One).
According to the Theravāda tradition, the Dhamma teachings in this collection were delivered by the Buddha at various times throughout his forty-five years of spreading the Dhamma. The texts were transmitted through the words of the nun Khemā or certain bhikkhunīs deeply versed in the teaching, who memorized and passed on the golden words of the Blessed One. This collection is not merely a compilation of concise instructions; it is also a treasury of truths affirmed by the Buddha in a succinct and powerful manner.
Main Content
The Itivuttaka comprises 112 short passages, divided into four sections (nipātas) according to the number of verses in each passage: the Section of One Verse, the Section of Two Verses, the Section of Three Verses, and the Section of Four Verses. Each passage follows a distinctive structure: an introductory prose section (uddāna) presenting a fundamental teaching, followed by a verse section (gāthā) that re-expresses that meaning in poetic form, making it easy to memorize and recite.
The Dhamma content of the Itivuttaka encompasses the entire path of practice in Early Buddhism. The passages address the ethical foundation of the three kinds of pure action (bodily, verbal, and mental), expound the Four Noble Truths (cattāri ariyasaccāni) as the central teaching of liberation, and point clearly to the Noble Eightfold Path (ariya aṭṭhaṅgika magga) as the sole path leading to Nibbāna (Nirvana).
The outstanding feature of this collection is its emphasis on absolute truths. Many passages identify things that "come in pairs" (dvedhā) — two kinds of persons, two kinds of karmic fruits, two paths: one leading to suffering, one leading to liberation. The Buddha repeatedly gives warning regarding the law of kamma and its results (kamma-vipāka), and regarding the impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā) of all conditioned formations (saṅkhārā).
The Dhamma talks on Nibbāna in the Itivuttaka are especially profound, describing this ultimate reality as "unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconditioned" (ajātaṃ, abhūtaṃ, akataṃ, asaṅkhataṃ) — the final goal of the holy life (brahmacariya).
Practical Significance
The Itivuttaka carries deep practical value for present-day practitioners of Early Buddhism. The brevity and conciseness of each passage makes them ideal objects for contemplative inquiry into the Dhamma (dhamma-vicaya). A practitioner may choose a single passage to reflect upon each day, allowing the Buddha's teaching to permeate deeply into the mind, and to orient right mindfulness in all activities.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
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